Jon Kyl

Arizona The Capital Of Anger, Hate And Bigotry: Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik

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It is a telling factor that the Sheriff of Pima Country, Arizona, Clarence Dupnik, with Tucson as its major city, has declared that the state of Arizona has become the capital of anger, hate and bigotry in America. This was his reaction to the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords!,

As the author stated just shortly before this tragedy, Arizona has become the new Mississippi or Alabama of the the second decade of the 21st century, with its promotion of right wing views on illegal immigration and health care legislation and its advocacy of insane gun freedoms without controls! 🙁

Can any Arizonian be proud of the racist, discriminatory legislation, which victimizes Latino immigrants, many of them Mexican-American? Can anyone be supportive of banning Mexican American studies in Tucson, as the state Attorney General has done, while permitting ethnic studies programs for Asian American, African American, and Native American groups?

Can anyone be supportive of gun laws that put basically no limits on gun ownership and carrying of weapons, and the push to allow such weapons on school and college campuses?

Can anyone be other than embarrassed at the failure to cover poor people who need transplants of all kinds of organs, putting the lives of 96 patients at risk, all over $1.2 million, a paltry amount of money that could easily be covered if state officials cared about poor, mostly minority patients?

Arizona’s state government should hold their collective head in shame! 🙁

Governor Jan Brewer and other state officials should be roundly condemned and be held accountable for the loss of any of those 96 lives of transplant patients and the two who have already passed away! 🙁

Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl should be censured for their total lack of concern for the racism, discrimination, and denial of medical care to needy patients, and their support of gun laws which will only raise the level of violence that occurred yesterday, leading to the tragic circumstances we now are reeling from! 🙁

If Arizona wishes to regain its respectability, it needs to change its course on these various issues, and start acting in a civilized manner!

Irony Of Republican Attempt To Repeal Obama Health Care Plan: It Would Add To National Debt, Raise Health Care Costs, and Be A Job Killer! :(

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The House Republicans are attempting to repeal the Obama Health Care legislation, which will fail, in any circumstances, with the Democratic controlled Senate and President Barack Obama standing in the way!

But the irony is that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office makes it clear that doing such a repeal would add to the national debt, raise the cost of health care for everyone, and be a job killer to boot! 🙁

Medical spending would go up by $125 billion by the end of this decade; add $2,000 annually to each family’s health care premiums; and destroy 250,000 to 400,000 jobs annually over the next decade.

As Democrats have also pointed out, it would help promote more deaths of people who have no access to health care; would take away coverage of young people to the age of 26; would restore pre-existing conditions as a method insurance companies could use to deny health care coverage to millions, including many children; and open up the “donut hole” for medications for seniors, which is starting to close up, with 50 percent cut in the cost of brand name prescriptions newly instituted.

The truth about the Republicans is that they have no concern that millions have been denied health care coverage! They also have no concern that transplant patients in Arizona are being denied the ability to survive, with two already having died because the Republican Governor, Jan Brewer, has no compassion or interest in helping sick people, all over budget issues, when one can be sure there are other ways to cut budgets besides setting up what are the equivalent of “death panels”! 🙁

It is extremely ironic that Republicans argued about so called “death panels’ in the Obama Health Care legislation, which did not exist at all, but yet now REAL “death panels” are occurring in Arizona, and probably soon elsewhere! 🙁

Where are these Republicans now, including Speaker of the House John Boehner, Arizona Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl. and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin? Why is it that they are not outraged by this, and feel the need and moral standing to speak up for LIFE, particularly when they are all supposedly PRO-LIFE for fetuses, but not apparently for sick people of all ages?

The Republican Party should be condemned for their lack of compassion, empathy, and concern for those who are sick!:(

They forget: “There but for the grace of God go I!”!

The Heroes And The Goats Of The “Lame Duck” Session Of Congress

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The recent “lame duck” session of Congress saw some real heroes and some real goats.

The heroes would include Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut; Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana; and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Schumer and Gillibrand used their talents and persuasive abilities to accomplish the passage of the September 11 First Responders Medical legislation. Gillibrand, particularly, became noticed as a truly courageous figure, after much doubt about her after being appointed by Governor David Paterson over more well known and prominent candidates to succeed Hillary Clinton.

Joe Lieberman proved how useful he can be, pursuing the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military with a fierceness and principle rarely seen in any Senator.

Bernie Sanders proved how wonderful a human being he is, fighting for the common people, and against the corporations and the wealthy, and his eight and a half hour filibuster was inspiring.

Richard Lugar gave evidence again that he is one of the best Senators of modern times, pushing for the START Treaty, supporting gays in the military, and being one of three Republicans to support the DREAM Act. Unfortunately, he will probably suffer a primary challenger as a result in 2012, but he is in so many ways, a Senator’s Senator, much like Ted Kennedy was in the recent past!

And Lisa Murkowksi found a new independence as a result of her tough re-election contest as an independent, and courageously supported gays in the military, the DREAM Act, and the START Treaty.

At the same time that the above Senators showed conviction and decency, the following demonstrated how disgraceful some political figures can be, and can be termed as “goats”: Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, Senator John McCain of Arizona, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, and Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

All of the above demonstrated bitterness, anger, pettiness, narrow mindedness, and extreme partisanship at a time when a group of Senators of their party actually displayed bipartisanship on the START Treaty, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ending in the military, and the September 11 First Responders Medical legislation.

So congratulations are in order for the first group of Senators above, and a chorus of boos for the second set above!

“Prima Donna” Senate Republicans: A Massive Headache For Mitch McConnell!

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It has often been said that the Democratic Party is not an organized party with any discipline, but it seems obvious that in the 112th Congress, that Mitch McConnell and John Boehner will have trouble controlling their membership!

This is particularly true in the US Senate, which can be said to have two distinct groups of “prima donnas”, people who are not good at working together and with others!

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post referred to a group of Senators, who complained bitterly about being “rushed” to do things, and feeling that the idea of having to work to just before Christmas was somehow an outrage!

Realize that it was because the Republicans asked for delays on many issues and procrastinated on them, that required the Senate to stay in session through yesterday, December 22. Also, these Senators seem to live in an unreal world, as if no one works to the day before Christmas. In other words, they are “petulant”, but also prima donnas, not an image designed to win support of the American people!

For the record, who fits into the “petulant” group of Republican Senators? They include Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Orrin Hatch of Utah, and Jon Kyl and John McCain of Arizona.

Now in the new Congress, McConnell must work with the five new “Tea Party” Senators–Marco Rubio of Florida, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Mike Lee of Utah.

This sounds like a massive undertaking, to gain their cooperation and willingness to do what needs to be done, not always what they want to be done.

Let’s just say that no one should envy the challenge facing Mitch McConnell, as well as John Boehner, now that their party has more seats in the Senate and controls the House of Representatives.

It is not just how the GOP relates to President Obama, but also how they relate to each other, that will be the biggest political news story of 2011!

Arizona Badly Served By John McCain And Jon Kyl: A Longing For The Times Of Barry Goldwater! :(

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Arizona has been badly served by its two Senators–John McCain and Jon Kyl– who have become so right wing, anti immigrant, anti gay, out to do anything to prevent any social or economic progress or foreign policy advancements! 🙁

McCain was once considered a moderate and a maverick, but that now seems long gone, and McCain himself so labeled himself as never having been a maverick as he ran a right wing campaign to hold on to his Senate seat this year. 🙁

McCain showed a lack of leadership during the financial panic of 2008, chose the absolutely most disastrous possible Vice Presidential running mate in Sarah Palin, and has constantly reneged on what he believed in and advocated during his earlier years in the Senate.

Jon Kyl also originally was perceived as a moderate, but has lately become a bitter man like McCain, and is blocking the START Treaty, fought against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as vehemently as McCain, and is also leading the fight against the September 11 First Responders Medical legislation, a shameful action, which lowers the esteem any reasonable person can have of Kyl! 🙁

When one compares these two present Arizona Senators to past Senator Barry Goldwater, the classical Mr. Conservative, one has to actually wish for the “good old days” of the 1960s, when Goldwater stood on principle, but cooperated with John F. Kennedy, and later came out for abortion rights and gay rights, and said regarding the military that as long as a soldier can shoot straight, who cares if he is straight?

Goldwater may have been a conservative, but he was never a bitter, hateful obstructionist on so many issues as John McCain and Jon Kyl have now proved to be! 🙁

It just goes to show how far the Republican party has moved from the mainstream where it was located in the 1960s, 1970s, and even the 1980s! 🙁

“Death Panels” And “Pulling The Plug”: The Ultimate GOP Hypocrisy! :(

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During the long debate over the Obama Health Care reform legislation, the nation heard from Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, among others, that President Obama was promoting “death panels” and “pulling the plug on Grandma”! These were, of course, totally false accusations, but since when does the GOP care about the truth? 🙁

But now, it turns out that the state of Arizona is indeed promoting the equivalent of “death panels” and “pulling the plug” in order to cut Medicaid services for their poorest citizens! 🙁

The cut involves withdrawing Medicaid coverage of certain kinds of transplants as a way to save the state money. But it is also saying life is not important if you are poor and cannot afford such surgery because you lack the ability to pay for health care coverage! 🙁

Suddenly, the “right to life” comes after saving money, but do you hear Senator Grassley or former Governor Palin or Arizona Senators John McCain or Jon Kyl speaking up in outrage? 🙁

Does one hear Governor Jan Brewer show any concern about the death warrant the cut in Medicaid services brings? 🙁

There is a 32 year old man in Arizona who desperately needs a liver transplant, has a wife and four children, but lost his job and medical coverage, came under Medicaid, and now is told he can only have transplant surgery if he comes up with $200,000 as a deposit to the hospital! 🙁

Is this the kind of country we want to become, where money stands in the way of saving lives? Are we comfortable with a young man in his thirties with children to have to die while the government stands by and does nothing for him? 🙁

A thought crosses the mind, considering we are talking about Arizona! Could it be that there is lack of concern in that state, the infamous one of the new illegal immigration law designed against Latinos now being contested in the courts, BECAUSE the young man in his thirties is a Latino? Good question to wonder about, heh? 🙁

And what about all those “good Christians” out there who claim to care about life, and are not yet rushing to provide financial support for this young man? How about it, don’t just preach and moralize, and take some action to back up your rhetoric! Don’t bet on it! 🙁

What a total example of hypocrisy by Republicans, conservatives and “good Christians” who claim to be against so called “death panels” and “pulling the plug”! 🙁

Barack Obama, The START Treaty, And The Senate Republicans: Politics In The Offing? :(

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The Russians and the United States have negotiated a new START Treaty to lessen the danger of nuclear weapons spread, and to verify that each side is keeping the agreement to cut down nuclear stockpiles.

This is a good agreement to cut nuclear weapons stockpiles by thirty percent over seven years, and six former Secretaries of State–three Republicans and three Democrats–have supported ratification of the treaty, which requires a two thirds vote of the Senate!

Leaders of NATO, the national security community and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also support the treaty, but it seems as if the Republicans in the Senate are determined to delay a vote to next year, when there will be six more Republicans in the Senate! 🙁

Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona seems to be the key figure involved in negotiations with the Obama Administration on the treaty, and it seems doubtful that, in the crowded congressional agenda in the lame duck session, that the treaty will get a full hearing and a positive vote, which could endanger US-Russian relations in the long run!

This potential stalling and possible defeat of the treaty next year, if not this year, would come despite support of some GOP senators, including particularly Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, an acknowledged foreign policy expert who is highly respected in the Senate by all of his colleagues!

Should politics get in the way of an important treaty such as this? No, but what else is new? 🙁

To Newt Gingrich, Jon Kyl, Judd Gregg, Sharron Angle Et Al: Unemployment Compensation Is NOT Welfare! :(

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In the midst of the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, the Republican party is demonstrating how it has no concern or compassion for the millions of Americans who have lost their employment, some for two years or more already!

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, and Senate candidate Sharron Angle of Nevada, among others, have all described people on unemployment compensation as people on “welfare”, who are lazy, shiftless, and to be condemned as unwilling to take any job offer which comes along! 🙁

Unemployment compensation is not enough that anyone can live in luxury and contentment! It is only a portion of a worker’s former income! Many people have no opportunity to find a job, no matter how hard they try! But if they find a job that pays just a fraction of their former pay, then they cannot spend time finding a job that allows them to pay their mortgage or rent, and put food on the table, and plan for their children’s education and their own retirement!

These GOP politicians live off the public tax rolls, and mostly come into office wealthy, so what do they know about the struggles of everyday citizens? They have no concern, except to divide the nation and exploit for their own benefit!

The middle class has been decimated due to GOP policies while they controlled Congress from 1995-2007 and under the administration of George W. Bush from 2001-2009! How anyone with any intelligence could vote to back candidates who consider unemployment compensation as “welfare”, when everyone pays into the system throughout their work lives, is beyond comprehension! 🙁

Unemployment Compensation, Tax Cuts For The Wealthy, And The Problem Of The Deficit!

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Republican Senators and Congressmen are actively involved in condemning an extension of unemployment compensation as wasteful, not paid for, adding to the deficit, and promoting laziness and shiftlessness in those people who need to have the “work ethic”!

But, at the same time, they claim it is essential to continue to promote massive tax cuts to the wealthy, even if it adds to the deficit!

If one is to back the idea of the deficit as a major crisis, which it is rapidly becoming, then it makes no sense to assert that tax cuts are acceptable, when these wealthy people have had major increases in income in the past ten years, while the average American either pays more in taxes, or has only had a small decrease in taxes!

When people who are unemployed receive unemployment compensation, it keeps them “above water” and gives them purchasing power, which helps to promote a revival of the economy! It is NOT the same as working, and to say that people who receive part of their salary as unemployment compensation, are living “high off the hog” is an outrageous, uncaring, despicable fabrication! 🙁

But still, Senators Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Jon Kyl of Arizona, and Orrin Hatch of Utah, along with numerous Congressmen and radio talk show hosts and Fox News Channel, continue to spread the word that the rich need more tax cuts, and the poor unemployed be damned! 🙁

What kind of country that calls itself advanced and civilized would allow such a circumstance to continue to exist? If the top one percent already have 17 percent of all income in the country AFTER taxes, is not that enough? 🙁

Sensible Republicans Speak Up Against Arizona Immigration Law!

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Finally, we are starting to see “sensible” Republicans speak up against the Arizona Immigration law signed into law last week!

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio, and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham all have expressed concerns about the fairness and constitutionality of the action by the Arizona state government.

Bush, certainly a conservative, but like his brother, former President George W. Bush, an advocate of immigration reform on the national level, spoke up, despite much conservative and talk radio endorsement of the legislation.

Marco Rubio, certainly a favorite of the Tea Party Movement and very right wing in most of his views, but aware of the fact that people of his ethnicity are directly under attack around the nation, courageously criticized the law as unworkable and unjust, this coming about as some suggested that such legislation should be enacted in Florida!

Lindsey Graham, one of the few fair minded, common sense members of the Republican caucus in the Senate, and often attacked at home as not conservative enough, also made clear his problems with the legislation.

But John McCain, who had long stood for national immigration reform, has been disgraceful on this issue this year, and is so afraid of alienating the Republican base that he has truly lost his soul! He has become as demagogic as his fellow Arizona Senator, Jon Kyl!

Both senators should be condemned, along with Governor Jan Brewer, for giving in to hysteria, panic, and racism!

At the same time, plaudits are due Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Lindsey Graham! At least for once, they are correct in what they profess!